


A Relative Peace

by Beleriandings



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-04 20:21:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6674170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beleriandings/pseuds/Beleriandings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Though it will not last for long, Zeno knows, this is what peace looks like.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Relative Peace

A swirling gust of wind, blowing through the great red-lacquered wooden doors. Zeno pulled his hood down, grimacing a little at how sodden the fabric was, even from the short sprint across the courtyard. The driving, icy rain had gone through his hood too, making his hair hang in dripping tendrils. It was warm in here though, the heat enveloping him, glowing against his cheeks from the fire beside which sat his brothers and his king, grouped around a gaming table, dotted with tiles and cups of sake.

It was Abi who noticed him. “Ah! Ouryuu, close the door, you’re letting in the cold!”

Zeno smiled and did so, greeted by a peal of birdsong like tiny bells and a flutter of wings as Abi’s bluebird fluttered up and amongst the rafters, flew down and all around Zeno’s head in greeting, and then returned to sit on Abi’s shoulder once more. 

Zeno shivered a little, extricating himself from the damp cloth of his cloak and going to hang it by the fire, gazing down at the table and the majak tiles upon it.

“Who’s winning?”

“I am” said Shuten with a triumphant smile, as Guen scowled into his tiles and Hiryuu patted him on the back. “I won the last two, and - ”

“Except this uncivilised green creature has four tiles up his sleeve” said Abi flatly, leaning back from the table and calmly taking a sip of sake. 

“Damn it, Seiryuu, why’d you have to give the game away? And here I was thinking you were on my side, traitor!”

Abi shrugged, looking very pleased with himself. “I was bored with watching you cheat. You were doing it very ineptly.” 

He dodged neatly as Shuten swiped at him. Shuten subsided, grumbling. “See this is _why_ we don’t let you play. It’s a sad thing when a man can’t cheat honestly at majak.” He folded his arms, looking over at Hiryuu. “King, this one is too much trouble” he nudged Abi, with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes, as Abi elbowed him in the side. “I don’t know why we keep him around - ”

“I’m the only one making sure you stay in line, that’s why.”

Guen was frowning over this exchange. “Hey, Green, you can cheat me - ”

“Yes, you’re a very easy mark, Hakuryuu” interrupted Shuten, with a grin. “Very trusting.”

“ - But you can’t just shamelessly cheat our King!” Guen slammed his tiles down on the table, affronted, making a wide gouge in the wood of the table with a claw. He seemed not to notice. “Our duty - no, our very _purpose_ as dragons and our reason for being is to protect him and honour him and - ”

“I _am_ protecting him” said Shuten. “I’m teaching him a valuable lesson, about people who cheat at majak. My King, they’re everywhere, don’t ever trust anyone not to try to scam you for everything you have.”

“Oh, so that’s what you were trying to do” said Guen, rolling his eyes. “Right. My King, I apologise on the behalf of my worst brother.”

“You’re mistaken. That’s Seiryuu’s title… ow!”

“Oh, it’s quite alright” said Hiryuu, smiling. “Actually, I just enjoy the game because I like to watch all of you play. I don’t really mind whether I win or lose.”

“See?” said Shuten, even as Abi shook his head in disbelief, muttering something about _sentimetal_ , and,  _how did this one manage to become king of anything at all_. 

“Besides, Hakuryuu” said Hiryuu gently, “if we’re really playing the game fairly, then doesn’t that rather rule out you trying to let me win?”

“What! No I didn’t… how did you…” Guen gaped, turning a little red as Shuten and Abi burst out laughing. 

“Oh come on, it was obvious” said Abi, gesturing at the table. “The only reason the king doesn’t always win against you is that he doesn’t _let_ you let him win.”

“It’s true I’m afraid” said Hiryuu, patting Guen consolingly on the arm. “It’s very sweet of you though, and I do appreciate the gesture.”

Guen carried on grumbling until Shuten threw a tile at him. He caught it with a dexterity that always surprised Zeno, between the needle-tip claws of his index finger and thumb, glaring back across the table. “Yes, I agree, this is why we should have banished Seiryuu from the room altogether.” He laid the tile down carefully with the others - scattered about the table now - and sighed. “Ouryuu, I’m glad you’ve returned, because you’re about the only one I trust right now.”

“Yes, where have you been?” asked Abi. “We were expecting you! We even saved you some sake, if Ryokuryuu hasn’t drunk it yet.”

“See? All my brothers are set against me! I would never!” Shuten feigned affront as Abi snorted. “But yes, where have you been?” he asked Zeno. “I was beginning to think there would be no one to left to talk to later when these ones have all dropped off to sleep from the drink.”

“Oh,” put in Abi, “are we ignoring that time Hakuryuu had to carry you back to your room with tears on your cheeks expounding on how much you loved us all? Before midnight, too.”

Shuten gave a rare blush, grinding his teeth. “That… that was _once_! Besides, I’m still skeptical about whether it ever happened at all. I wouldn’t put it past you all to lie to me.”

“Says the self-confessed cheater.”

“Oh, like you didn’t shamelessly use your power to cheat every single one of us when we let you join in!”

Abi smiled cheerfully, playing with the end of the red ribbon that bound his hair up. “Well, I can’t deny that.”

“What they’re _trying_ to say” said Hiryuu, who was laughing, his face a little flushed from the sake and the warmth of the fire, “is come and join us, Ouryuu. Were you out on the walls again? In this storm? You look very cold.”

“Yes, you’ll catch your death if you’re not careful” said Guen, frowing.

“I’m alright” said Zeno, and he was. “I was just checking with the servants that the broken tiles on the cooks’ lodging house roof has been fixed, with the winter weather, but I got talking. Did you know, Hyeok’s daughter In-Na is leaving to marry a trader from Kai? I promised I’d make her an amulet for long life and luck in marriage, and bless it for her. Also, the scullery cat had kittens! They said that I could have one when they were a little older, if I wanted.” He laughed, as the tiny blue bird on Abi’s shoulder chirruped and flapped a little in distress. Abi, too, made to protest, but Zeno stopped him with a raised hand. “It’s alright, I said no thank you. I know cats chase birds and I would never risk it. Besides, the kittens should stay with their mother for a little while longer. After that I’m sure they’ll all find good homes and people to love them.” Zeno took a sip from the cup Guen offered him, with a nod.

“So, all is well then?” asked Hiryuu. 

Zeno looked around the table, at his three brothers, at Hiryuu, at the warm glow of light that surrounded them. Peacetime wouldn’t last, he could feel it as a dark coldness of certainty at the edges of his mind. But for now, at least, everything was as it should be. Outside, though the storm raged, the castle slumbered in peace and relative happiness. “Yes, king” he said, smiling. “All is well.”

**Author's Note:**

> The game they're playing is mahjong, and Wikipedia tells me that the Korean name for it is majak, but apologies if that's incorrect! 
> 
> (Also the main reason this fic came about in the first place was because I remembered that the game has red dragon, green dragon and white dragon tiles, which delights me no end with respect to this fandom)


End file.
